We've all heard by now that Ohio State has hired Urban Meyer as their next head coach. That story is getting plenty of coverage, so the only thing I want to add to it is a look at what it will mean for the Spartans. Folks, I'll just come out and say it, I don't like it.
This move by OSU is particularly bad for the Spartans in defensive recruiting -- right away. The timing couldn't be worse for the Spartans. 5-star defensive end, Adolphus Washington, had been seriously considering committing to MSU, but he just committed to Ohio State and he mentioned that Urban Meyer was a big reason why. OK, people may say that a guy like Adolphus Washington was never going to end up at MSU, fine; but now there are rumors that the Spartans' top recruit, Se'Von Pittman, is now seriously considering joining Washington in Columbus. So instead of seeing my fantasy fulfilled of the Spartans landing the top 2 defensive ends in the Midwest, suddenly we're in danger of ending up with bubkes -- nothing, zilch, nada -- while one of our opponents is loading up on what was almost ours. Ooo, that smarks.
With respect to offensive recruiting, the damage is supposed to be more limited because Urban Meyer runs a spread offense while the Spartans run a pro-style offense. So supposedly, they should be going after different kinds of players. I don't know if I buy into that completely. First of all, I don't think the distinction between spread and pro-style matters that much to offensive line recruits. So I think OSU will still compete directly with MSU for O-line recruits. Second of all, Meyer's version of the spread is more like Brian Kelly's than Rich Rodriguez's was at Michigan, meaning that OSU will still go after big receivers and tight ends. They'll probably also go for a mix of big running backs and smaller, faster running backs, which is what MSU has been going after for the last few years.
Quarterback is probably the one position the Spartans won't have to compete for directly with OSU, not so much because of Meyer's spread offense but because for the last decade at least, OSU and MSU have not really competed for quarterbacks. OSU discovered with Troy Smith that the way to beat Michigan is with a running quarterback, and they have been going after running quarterbacks ever since (e.g., Terrelle Pryor and Braxton Miller). On the other hand, MSU's latest 2 recruits (Connor Cook and Tyler O'Connor) appear to be quarterbacks that can run, so maybe even the Spartans are headed in that direction and therefore will be competing with OSU for quarterbacks.
As for actual "on the field" battles, I am expecting OSU to get better with Meyer at the helm. At least, they will be better than they were this year. I don't think Meyer will have the same kind of success at OSU that he had at Florida. It's rare to see a coach win a national championship at two different schools -- I can't think of anybody who's done it, off the top of my head. Nevertheless, OSU will probably average 10 wins a season under Meyer and that means the Spartans will have to continue to improve, if they want to have a chance to beat OSU in the next few years. The good thing is that I think the Spartans will actually be better next year than they were this year, if the wide receiver unit doesn't turn into a nightmare.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Review of Northwestern Game: Spartans Looking Good
The Spartans had a bit of trouble against Northwestern. Dan Persa and the Wildcats moved the ball pretty well and the Northwestern defense kept the Spartan offense relatively bottled up. But in the end, the Spartans are a championship team and Northwestern is a 6 - 6 team. If these teams had played 10 games, the Spartans would have won 9 of them.
The Spartan defense looked pretty solid. They had some trouble with Northwestern's option attack and Dan Persa's resilience. But they only gave up 17 points. That's pretty good against Northwestern's offense. I really like how quick the Spartans looked on defense. The linebackers in particular were fast enough to slow down much of Northwestern's option attack. And of course, the D-line was able to dominate the line of scrimmage and get after Persa.
The Spartan offense was not as explosive as I expected, but they clearly did enough. Except for the interception, Kirk Cousins had another solid game. He showed good accuracy and made mostly good decisions, including tucking the ball and running for a few first downs. Congratulations to Cousins for breaking the Spartan touchdown record. The receivers also looked solid. The tight ends made clutch catches, and of course, so did Cunningham and Martin. The running game also looked pretty solid. The line opened up some nice holes and LeVeon Bell ran with great authority.
The upshot is that the Spartans are playing their best football right now. Is their best going to be good enough to take down Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game? I don't know. But as the Spartans enter the most important game for the program in many years, all you can ask is that they play their best. Three weeks in a row they have played like a championship team. That should make us confident that they will bring their best. This has been a glorious season for Spartan football!
The Spartan defense looked pretty solid. They had some trouble with Northwestern's option attack and Dan Persa's resilience. But they only gave up 17 points. That's pretty good against Northwestern's offense. I really like how quick the Spartans looked on defense. The linebackers in particular were fast enough to slow down much of Northwestern's option attack. And of course, the D-line was able to dominate the line of scrimmage and get after Persa.
The Spartan offense was not as explosive as I expected, but they clearly did enough. Except for the interception, Kirk Cousins had another solid game. He showed good accuracy and made mostly good decisions, including tucking the ball and running for a few first downs. Congratulations to Cousins for breaking the Spartan touchdown record. The receivers also looked solid. The tight ends made clutch catches, and of course, so did Cunningham and Martin. The running game also looked pretty solid. The line opened up some nice holes and LeVeon Bell ran with great authority.
The upshot is that the Spartans are playing their best football right now. Is their best going to be good enough to take down Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game? I don't know. But as the Spartans enter the most important game for the program in many years, all you can ask is that they play their best. Three weeks in a row they have played like a championship team. That should make us confident that they will bring their best. This has been a glorious season for Spartan football!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Preview of Northwestern Game
Gonna be busy with the whole turkey coma thing for the next few days, so I thought I'd go ahead and post my preview of the Northwestern game a little early.
Folks, I'll just come out and say it, this game makes me nervous. Now, Northwestern's numbers don't look that great. They have an overall record of 6-5, and they are 3-4 in the Big Ten. Their offense is also ranked 42nd in the country, scoring about 31 points per game; while their defense is ranked 64rth, allowing about 27 points per game. So it appears that the Spartan offense and defense should match up well against Northwestern.
Not so fast my friends. In fact, Northwestern is a team with some momentum. The Wildcats have won 4 in a row, including that impressive victory at Nebraska, which allowed the Spartans to take control of the Legends Division. Over those four games, Northwestern has particularly improved on defense. Most of the games they lost in the first half of the season had more to do with their inability to stop opposing offenses than with their own offense's ability to score. Their offense has been pretty consistent throughout the season, but their defense has only recently began to do their part. Having said that, Northwestern's only significant opponent in the last 4 games was Nebraska. In the other three games they beat Indiana, Rice, and Minnesota. Not exactly the kind of competition that helps you gauge how good they really are.
Apart from their recent momentum, my biggest concern is their quarterback, Dan Persa. I have seen this guy play a few times and I have to tell you that he is the kind of player that can carry a team on his back. He has been injured throughout large parts of this year, but he is a feisty player that can undo the best laid plans of mice and defensive coordinators. Having said that, in the few games I've watched him this year, the opposing defenses were able to contain him pretty well. So he's not Superman. Nonetheless, there's always a chance he could open up a can of "what the heck just happened" on the Spartans. So be concerned, be very concerned.
So what's going to happen? Allow me to posit the following. The Spartans are playing great again. They had their lull during the Nebraska and Minnesota games, but I think they've finally put it all together. For the first time this season, all units are clicking. On defense, the secondary, the linebackers, the defensive line...they're all certainly clicking. On offense, Cousins seems to be playing with confidence, Bell is running great, the receivers and tight ends are getting the job done. Even the offensive line seems to have figured things out. They are opening running lanes and giving Cousins time to throw. Most importantly, MSU's coordinators seem to have figured things out. I had few complaints about play calling against Indiana. Of course, it helps that Indiana was terrible, but in general, I didn't see many play calls I strongly disagreed with.
In short, MSU is looking like a championship team. This is why I am not panicking about the Northwestern game. There's always a good chance that Northwestern somehow pulls this one out, but if the Spartans play like they did last week, they should take care of business -- and it should be a pretty comfortable win.
Final prediction: MSU 35 Northwestern 20
Folks, I'll just come out and say it, this game makes me nervous. Now, Northwestern's numbers don't look that great. They have an overall record of 6-5, and they are 3-4 in the Big Ten. Their offense is also ranked 42nd in the country, scoring about 31 points per game; while their defense is ranked 64rth, allowing about 27 points per game. So it appears that the Spartan offense and defense should match up well against Northwestern.
Not so fast my friends. In fact, Northwestern is a team with some momentum. The Wildcats have won 4 in a row, including that impressive victory at Nebraska, which allowed the Spartans to take control of the Legends Division. Over those four games, Northwestern has particularly improved on defense. Most of the games they lost in the first half of the season had more to do with their inability to stop opposing offenses than with their own offense's ability to score. Their offense has been pretty consistent throughout the season, but their defense has only recently began to do their part. Having said that, Northwestern's only significant opponent in the last 4 games was Nebraska. In the other three games they beat Indiana, Rice, and Minnesota. Not exactly the kind of competition that helps you gauge how good they really are.
Apart from their recent momentum, my biggest concern is their quarterback, Dan Persa. I have seen this guy play a few times and I have to tell you that he is the kind of player that can carry a team on his back. He has been injured throughout large parts of this year, but he is a feisty player that can undo the best laid plans of mice and defensive coordinators. Having said that, in the few games I've watched him this year, the opposing defenses were able to contain him pretty well. So he's not Superman. Nonetheless, there's always a chance he could open up a can of "what the heck just happened" on the Spartans. So be concerned, be very concerned.
So what's going to happen? Allow me to posit the following. The Spartans are playing great again. They had their lull during the Nebraska and Minnesota games, but I think they've finally put it all together. For the first time this season, all units are clicking. On defense, the secondary, the linebackers, the defensive line...they're all certainly clicking. On offense, Cousins seems to be playing with confidence, Bell is running great, the receivers and tight ends are getting the job done. Even the offensive line seems to have figured things out. They are opening running lanes and giving Cousins time to throw. Most importantly, MSU's coordinators seem to have figured things out. I had few complaints about play calling against Indiana. Of course, it helps that Indiana was terrible, but in general, I didn't see many play calls I strongly disagreed with.
In short, MSU is looking like a championship team. This is why I am not panicking about the Northwestern game. There's always a good chance that Northwestern somehow pulls this one out, but if the Spartans play like they did last week, they should take care of business -- and it should be a pretty comfortable win.
Final prediction: MSU 35 Northwestern 20
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Recruiting: Adolphus Washington Deciding Today
As I have mentioned before, one of the top players in the Midwest is supposed to decide today where he's going next year. Ohio defensive end, Adolphus Washington, is supposed to choose between Ohio State, Michigan State, Alabama, and a few other schools. He did visit Michigan State and he appears to be friends with current Michigan State commit, Se'Von Pittman. So MSU has a legitimate chance.
But let's not get too excited just yet. First of all, he was supposed to make his choice almost 2 weeks ago and then decided to postpone his decision to today. That could happen again today, since there have been some key developments in the football world that could affect Washington's thinking. One development is the rumors flying around that Ohio State is trying to hire Urban Meyer as their next head coach. If Washington was thinking of choosing MSU, the possibility of playing for Urban Meyer could easily alter those plans. I would not be surprised to see Washington at least choose to delay his decision as a result of these rumors.
Anyway, it does appear that Washington was always going to choose OSU -- all recruiting services say that OSU is his top choice. But you know what? When someone asked Gandalf if there was ever any hope for Frodo and Sam, Gandalf responded with, "there was never much hope, only a fool's hope." Well, we all know how that turned out. So, here's to a fool's hope.
Update: Washington committed to OSU, so I guess a fool's hope wasn't enough. This time, Mordor wins. Oh well, there are still some other great prospects to hope for.
But let's not get too excited just yet. First of all, he was supposed to make his choice almost 2 weeks ago and then decided to postpone his decision to today. That could happen again today, since there have been some key developments in the football world that could affect Washington's thinking. One development is the rumors flying around that Ohio State is trying to hire Urban Meyer as their next head coach. If Washington was thinking of choosing MSU, the possibility of playing for Urban Meyer could easily alter those plans. I would not be surprised to see Washington at least choose to delay his decision as a result of these rumors.
Anyway, it does appear that Washington was always going to choose OSU -- all recruiting services say that OSU is his top choice. But you know what? When someone asked Gandalf if there was ever any hope for Frodo and Sam, Gandalf responded with, "there was never much hope, only a fool's hope." Well, we all know how that turned out. So, here's to a fool's hope.
Update: Washington committed to OSU, so I guess a fool's hope wasn't enough. This time, Mordor wins. Oh well, there are still some other great prospects to hope for.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Spartans Make Significant Jumps on Offensive and Defensive Rankings
So as I mentioned in my preview of the Indiana game, a big game against Indiana would likely allow the Spartans to make significant moves up the national offensive and defensive rankings. The Spartans came into the game ranked 8th on defense, allowing 16.5 points per game. Well, after holding Indiana to just 3 points, the Spartans are now ranked 5th in the nation, allowing only 15.3 points per game. That's elite territory folks.
On offense, the Spartans came into the game ranked 61st in the nation, scoring 27.6 points a game. Well, MSU's performance against Indiana was good enough to move them up 17 slots all the way up to 44th in the country. They scored 55 against Indiana and that took their season scoring average up to 30.1 points a game. Not bad for an offense that was breaking in three offensive linemen and a new offensive coordinator, this year.
Unfortunately, I think the Spartans are probably going to slide out of the top 5 on defense and they probably won't move up much further on offensive rankings. For the next 2 weeks they will be facing two teams with decent offenses and defenses. Northwestern and Wisconsin will both put up points against the Spartans. The Spartans will also not be putting up 55 points on either of those teams. However, I do believe the Spartan offense has turned a corner and will be able to score over 30 against Northwestern and Wisconsin. More on that later.
In any case, the Spartans should probably still end the season in the top 10 on total defense, and perhaps get as high as top 40 on total offense. Not bad at all.
On offense, the Spartans came into the game ranked 61st in the nation, scoring 27.6 points a game. Well, MSU's performance against Indiana was good enough to move them up 17 slots all the way up to 44th in the country. They scored 55 against Indiana and that took their season scoring average up to 30.1 points a game. Not bad for an offense that was breaking in three offensive linemen and a new offensive coordinator, this year.
Unfortunately, I think the Spartans are probably going to slide out of the top 5 on defense and they probably won't move up much further on offensive rankings. For the next 2 weeks they will be facing two teams with decent offenses and defenses. Northwestern and Wisconsin will both put up points against the Spartans. The Spartans will also not be putting up 55 points on either of those teams. However, I do believe the Spartan offense has turned a corner and will be able to score over 30 against Northwestern and Wisconsin. More on that later.
In any case, the Spartans should probably still end the season in the top 10 on total defense, and perhaps get as high as top 40 on total offense. Not bad at all.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Congratulations to the Champions of the Legends Division!
OK, so MSU was more ready than I thought they might be. I feared they might take Indiana a little lightly, but the Spartans brought their A game today. On the one hand, they crushed the worst team in the B1G. On the other hand, the Spartans looked sharp and they played how you would want them to play against a weak team. What a way for the MSU seniors to go out.
Quick points
- As I expected, Indiana does not have the athletes to keep up with MSU. The Spartans scored several touchdowns simply by feeding the ball to their speedy playmakers. I am not surprised to see that Keyshawn Martin had a big day, and that Edwin Baker also had some big plays.
- Kirk Cousins showed how good he can be when he plays with confidence. Sure, the Indiana secondary couldn't keep up with the MSU receivers, but he was also throwing some very accurate bullets. I hope he breaks Jeff Smoker's record next week.
- The defense looked as good as at any point this year. No surprise against Indiana, but they at least came close to shutting out Indiana.
- In a game like this one, it's hard to single out guys for good play -- there were too many heroes! Still, I would like to point out that Anthony Rashad White impressed me. There were times when I couldn't tell the difference between him and Jerel Worthy. That makes me less concerned about the possibility of Worthy going pro early.
As for the rest of the season
With a Michigan victory over Nebraska, the Spartans are now champions of the Legends division. Folks, that means the Spartans are for real. Last year was no fluke, it's part of a consistent pattern of winning. Mark Dantonio is an excellent coach who has taken MSU to the top of the Big Ten. The Spartans are now guaranteed a chance to play for the Big Ten championship, most likely against Wisconsin. If the Spartans can win their remaining 3 games, including their bowl game, they will have a chance to finish in the top 5 and to achieve eliteness.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Preview of Indiana Game
I'll keep this one short because it's a lot like the Minnesota game. It's a game that the Spartans should win handily, but there's always the threat that they could take Indiana too lightly.
Here are the numbers:
Indiana comes in with a record of 1-9, including losses to Ball State and North Texas. This is a really bad football team that has been blown out in almost every game they have played.
Indiana is ranked a lowly 92nd on offense, scoring about 23 points a game. Meanwhile MSU's defense is ranked 8th in the nation, allowing 16.5 points per game. Honestly, MSU has a legitimate shot to hold Indiana scoreless, which would probably let them move up the rankings on total defense -- perhaps into the top 5.
On defense, Indiana is even worse. They have the 108th ranked defense, which allows approximately 36 points a game. Meanwhile, MSU has the 61st ranked offense, scoring 27.6 points a game. Honestly, this game gives the Spartans a chance to pad their offensive numbers and move up the rankings on total offense.
I haven't watched much of Indiana this season, except that I did witness them getting blown out by Wisconsin. It is only one game, but it does appear that Indiana just doesn't have the athletes to play with the top B1G teams. Of course, they almost beat Ohio State a couple of weeks ago, so there is always the possibility that Indiana will come up with something special or that MSU will take them lightly, and that consequently, MSU will suffer an absolutely heartbreaking loss. The probabilities of that happening, however, are relatively low. This is the last home game for many seniors, so I expect MSU to be sufficiently ready to win, though they may not be sufficiently ready to completely blow out Indiana.
Final score: MSU 31 Indiana 13
As everyone is well aware, a victory against Indiana and a loss by Nebraska to Michigan would turn the Spartans into champions of the Legends division. I for one will be hoping that this scenario plays out. I would like MSU to clinch the division this Saturday in large part because I am nervous about how the Spartans will do against Northwestern, the following week.
Here are the numbers:
Indiana comes in with a record of 1-9, including losses to Ball State and North Texas. This is a really bad football team that has been blown out in almost every game they have played.
Indiana is ranked a lowly 92nd on offense, scoring about 23 points a game. Meanwhile MSU's defense is ranked 8th in the nation, allowing 16.5 points per game. Honestly, MSU has a legitimate shot to hold Indiana scoreless, which would probably let them move up the rankings on total defense -- perhaps into the top 5.
On defense, Indiana is even worse. They have the 108th ranked defense, which allows approximately 36 points a game. Meanwhile, MSU has the 61st ranked offense, scoring 27.6 points a game. Honestly, this game gives the Spartans a chance to pad their offensive numbers and move up the rankings on total offense.
I haven't watched much of Indiana this season, except that I did witness them getting blown out by Wisconsin. It is only one game, but it does appear that Indiana just doesn't have the athletes to play with the top B1G teams. Of course, they almost beat Ohio State a couple of weeks ago, so there is always the possibility that Indiana will come up with something special or that MSU will take them lightly, and that consequently, MSU will suffer an absolutely heartbreaking loss. The probabilities of that happening, however, are relatively low. This is the last home game for many seniors, so I expect MSU to be sufficiently ready to win, though they may not be sufficiently ready to completely blow out Indiana.
Final score: MSU 31 Indiana 13
As everyone is well aware, a victory against Indiana and a loss by Nebraska to Michigan would turn the Spartans into champions of the Legends division. I for one will be hoping that this scenario plays out. I would like MSU to clinch the division this Saturday in large part because I am nervous about how the Spartans will do against Northwestern, the following week.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Recruiting Notes
Scout just recently updated their recruiting rankings for the class of 2012 and it looks like a few of the Spartans' recruits fared rather well. Perhaps the biggest news is that Jamal Lyles received a fourth star and was entered into Scout's list of top 300 players. He is now ranked the 284th best player in the country, and here are some nice things Scout had to say about him:
So with 3 of the top 300 players in the country, the Spartans are already looking like they will have a great class, but don't forget that they still have a shot at some other excellent recruits, who also moved up quite a bit in Scout's rankings. They still have a shot at Ohio defensive end, Adolphus Washington, who is now ranked as the top player in the Midwest -- thanks in large part to the 33 sacks he recorded this season. He was supposed to make his choice of schools approximately 10 days ago, but apparently, he will be now be making his decision on November 22nd. Ohio State is likely his destination, but you never know. Until he announces his decision to go elsewhere, I have the right to fantasize about Washington and Pittman terrorizing B1G quarterbacks -- perhaps with a little help from an enthusiastic 5'8" nose tackle named Leonidas (hey, it could happen!).
The Spartans are also in it for Ohio wide receiver, Monty Madaris, who also made a considerable move up the rankings. He went from #255 to #158. Like with Washington, until Madaris commits elsewhere, I have the right to fantasize about him and Burbridge terrorizing B1G secondaries -- perhaps with a little help from a 5'8" tight end (I don't quite have the speed for slot receiver). Boy, Madaris and Burbridge would completely solve the problem the Spartans might have at wide receiver next year (for more on the Spartans' possible troubles at wide receiver next year, click here).
At any rate, the Spartans already have a tremendous class. And one or two more players like Madaris and Washington would turn this class into MSU's best in decades.
"Lyles, a Michigan State commitment, had a great senior season despite his team not having the most success. He’s a great athlete that can come forward and blitz, or drop into coverage. We even believe that, should he try offense in college, he could be great there too. He’s a rare athlete, and received ringing endorsements from his personal trainers about his work ethic and dedication to the sport. We love his length, athleticism and versatility and feel he can project to a couple of the Spartan linebacker positions."Se'Von Pittman and Aaron Burbridge also moved up quite a bit. Pittman went from #74 to #55, while Burbridge moved up from #111 to #60. How great is that?
So with 3 of the top 300 players in the country, the Spartans are already looking like they will have a great class, but don't forget that they still have a shot at some other excellent recruits, who also moved up quite a bit in Scout's rankings. They still have a shot at Ohio defensive end, Adolphus Washington, who is now ranked as the top player in the Midwest -- thanks in large part to the 33 sacks he recorded this season. He was supposed to make his choice of schools approximately 10 days ago, but apparently, he will be now be making his decision on November 22nd. Ohio State is likely his destination, but you never know. Until he announces his decision to go elsewhere, I have the right to fantasize about Washington and Pittman terrorizing B1G quarterbacks -- perhaps with a little help from an enthusiastic 5'8" nose tackle named Leonidas (hey, it could happen!).
The Spartans are also in it for Ohio wide receiver, Monty Madaris, who also made a considerable move up the rankings. He went from #255 to #158. Like with Washington, until Madaris commits elsewhere, I have the right to fantasize about him and Burbridge terrorizing B1G secondaries -- perhaps with a little help from a 5'8" tight end (I don't quite have the speed for slot receiver). Boy, Madaris and Burbridge would completely solve the problem the Spartans might have at wide receiver next year (for more on the Spartans' possible troubles at wide receiver next year, click here).
At any rate, the Spartans already have a tremendous class. And one or two more players like Madaris and Washington would turn this class into MSU's best in decades.
Injuries Don't Seem to be an Issue
The Spartans have released their depth chart and it appears that all the injuries they seemed to suffer during the Iowa game did not lead to serious injuries. In fact, the team appears to be at full strength -- all the regular starters look set to start. We'll have to see if there are any changes later in the week, but for now at least, it looks like the Spartans are set to end the season at full strength -- except of course for the loss of Skylar Burkland for the year.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Quick Thoughts on Iowa Game
I was at my mom's birthday party during the game, so I was only able to watch the game out of the corner of my eye. Nonetheless, here are some quick thoughts on the game.
In many ways this game was a microcosm of MSU's season. In the first half, the Spartans started off looking like they did during the first half of the season. They were flying around the field like hawks, they were dominating both sides of the line. Of course it helped that Iowa turned the ball over a couple of times.
In the second half, the Spartans looked like the Spartans of the last two weeks. Suddenly, the Spartans couldn't move the ball on offense and the defense looked confused. And you were left wondering if the Spartans won this one not because they played so well in the first half, but because Iowa played so poorly. Iowa fell too far behind in the first half, and perhaps that was the key.
Quick Points
- Kirk Cousins. He was pretty good today, but man he needs to hang on to the ball. Those kinds of mistakes can cost you close games.
- Edwin Baker. He needs to learn to get up the field faster, instead of dancing or trying to run around people.
- Injuries. Lots of guys seemed to go down today. I hope none of the injuries were serious.
- The defensive line. This unit was impressive, today. And when you consider how young all those guys are, it makes you feel good about the future.
- The coaches looked solid in the first half and then weak in the second. They looked creative in the first half, and then their play calling looked like it has the last two weeks.
The General Takeaway
While a victory over a tough Iowa team should make you feel like MSU has reached a new level, the fact that Iowa seemed to lose it more than MSU won it tempers my celebration. On the other hand, the Spartans would have been competitive even if Iowa had played well the whole game. So MSU deserves credit. They also deserve credit because they played well on the road. In fact, no B1G team has played particularly well on the road this year. So MSU's performance actually was better than it looked.
As for the rest of the season, the Spartans are now in complete control of the Legends division. They have the easiest schedule of all the teams in contention. Simply put, they SHOULD win the division, if they play and coach like they can.
In many ways this game was a microcosm of MSU's season. In the first half, the Spartans started off looking like they did during the first half of the season. They were flying around the field like hawks, they were dominating both sides of the line. Of course it helped that Iowa turned the ball over a couple of times.
In the second half, the Spartans looked like the Spartans of the last two weeks. Suddenly, the Spartans couldn't move the ball on offense and the defense looked confused. And you were left wondering if the Spartans won this one not because they played so well in the first half, but because Iowa played so poorly. Iowa fell too far behind in the first half, and perhaps that was the key.
Quick Points
- Kirk Cousins. He was pretty good today, but man he needs to hang on to the ball. Those kinds of mistakes can cost you close games.
- Edwin Baker. He needs to learn to get up the field faster, instead of dancing or trying to run around people.
- Injuries. Lots of guys seemed to go down today. I hope none of the injuries were serious.
- The defensive line. This unit was impressive, today. And when you consider how young all those guys are, it makes you feel good about the future.
- The coaches looked solid in the first half and then weak in the second. They looked creative in the first half, and then their play calling looked like it has the last two weeks.
The General Takeaway
While a victory over a tough Iowa team should make you feel like MSU has reached a new level, the fact that Iowa seemed to lose it more than MSU won it tempers my celebration. On the other hand, the Spartans would have been competitive even if Iowa had played well the whole game. So MSU deserves credit. They also deserve credit because they played well on the road. In fact, no B1G team has played particularly well on the road this year. So MSU's performance actually was better than it looked.
As for the rest of the season, the Spartans are now in complete control of the Legends division. They have the easiest schedule of all the teams in contention. Simply put, they SHOULD win the division, if they play and coach like they can.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Preview of Iowa Game
So it's safe to say that the last two weeks have been at least a little humbling for me. After three impressive victories in a row -- over Ohio State, Michigan, and Wisconsin -- I was ready to declare that the MSU football program had achieved elite status. I was ready to say that MSU could now be expected to compete for the national championship, year after year. And I was ready to see elite recruits rush through the gates of Spartan Stadium. Well, the blow-out at the hands of Nebraska and the near disaster against Minnesota have forced me to embark on a deep psychological journey. A little like this one:
What I have concluded is that the Spartans are no longer the same team that looked so impressive against Ohio State and Michigan. Those Spartans were flying around the field like hawks and they made you feel no doubt that they would win those games. Against Wisconsin, things got shaky, but they still beat a very tough opponent. But in the Nebraska and Minnesota games I saw a completely different Spartan team. They looked uninterested, lacked swagger, and (dare I say?) they reminded me of the Spartans under J.L. Smith.
How did that happen? The most likely explanation is the brutality of the Spartans' schedule. Nebraska was just one tough game too many. It's hard to get pumped up four weeks in a row. It's hard for coaches to scheme for four tough opponents in a row. This latter point is probably the most important. The coaches looked outclassed the last two weeks.
Whatever the explanation, the Spartans must overcome their troubles this week. This week they play a tough Iowa team that is unbeaten at home in a game that could determine who wins the Legends division.
Iowa has more than enough defense to stop the struggling Spartan offense. Iowa's defense is ranked 36th in the nation. They have decent linebackers and defensive line. But I'm most worried about their physical corners. If Iowa's coaches have scouted the Nebraska v MSU game, they know that they can shut down the Spartan receivers by pressing them at the line of scrimmage. Hopefully, the refs won't let them get away with pass interference, but more importantly, I hope the Spartan coaches have a plan for dealing with this strategy.
MSU's defense actually should match up well against Iowa's offense. Iowa's offense is ranked 41st in the country. They have good receivers, tight ends, and the powerful Marcus Coker at running back. But MSU has the athletes to shut down all facets of Iowa's offense. MSU's corners can keep up with Iowa's receivers and MSU's D-line should be able to considerably slow down Coker.
In general, MSU has the athletes to beat Iowa. And so, the key for me is coaching. Kirk Ferentz has shown that he is a very good schemer. Iowa has an effective passing game thanks in large part to their creative use of their tight ends. And why is it that Iowa always has a good running back, no matter how many of them get injured? I have seen enough of Iowa, now, to know that this must have something to do with their coaching.
Ferentz has beaten MSU three of the last four years. Meanwhile, MSU's offensive coordinator is struggling and Nebraska and Minnesota showed teams that MSU's defense is not so dominant. And so, I hate to say it, but unless MSU's coaching staff has something up their sleave, I just can't see the Spartans pulling this one out. Iowa has looked bad on the road, but at home they seem to be a relatively dominant team. So for the first time this season, I'm actually going to predict against MSU.
Final prediction: MSU 17 Iowa 27
All I'm asking for is that the Spartans don't embarrass themselves in Kinnick Stadium. As long as they remain competitive throughout the game, I won't be too disappointed. But if they get blown out, then it shows the Spartans have not progressed all that much since last year. It could show that the Spartans have kind of hit their ceiling under Dantonio. At that point, I guess I may have to go back to thinking that Dantonio really is the Barry Alvarez of MSU.
What I have concluded is that the Spartans are no longer the same team that looked so impressive against Ohio State and Michigan. Those Spartans were flying around the field like hawks and they made you feel no doubt that they would win those games. Against Wisconsin, things got shaky, but they still beat a very tough opponent. But in the Nebraska and Minnesota games I saw a completely different Spartan team. They looked uninterested, lacked swagger, and (dare I say?) they reminded me of the Spartans under J.L. Smith.
How did that happen? The most likely explanation is the brutality of the Spartans' schedule. Nebraska was just one tough game too many. It's hard to get pumped up four weeks in a row. It's hard for coaches to scheme for four tough opponents in a row. This latter point is probably the most important. The coaches looked outclassed the last two weeks.
Whatever the explanation, the Spartans must overcome their troubles this week. This week they play a tough Iowa team that is unbeaten at home in a game that could determine who wins the Legends division.
Iowa has more than enough defense to stop the struggling Spartan offense. Iowa's defense is ranked 36th in the nation. They have decent linebackers and defensive line. But I'm most worried about their physical corners. If Iowa's coaches have scouted the Nebraska v MSU game, they know that they can shut down the Spartan receivers by pressing them at the line of scrimmage. Hopefully, the refs won't let them get away with pass interference, but more importantly, I hope the Spartan coaches have a plan for dealing with this strategy.
MSU's defense actually should match up well against Iowa's offense. Iowa's offense is ranked 41st in the country. They have good receivers, tight ends, and the powerful Marcus Coker at running back. But MSU has the athletes to shut down all facets of Iowa's offense. MSU's corners can keep up with Iowa's receivers and MSU's D-line should be able to considerably slow down Coker.
In general, MSU has the athletes to beat Iowa. And so, the key for me is coaching. Kirk Ferentz has shown that he is a very good schemer. Iowa has an effective passing game thanks in large part to their creative use of their tight ends. And why is it that Iowa always has a good running back, no matter how many of them get injured? I have seen enough of Iowa, now, to know that this must have something to do with their coaching.
Ferentz has beaten MSU three of the last four years. Meanwhile, MSU's offensive coordinator is struggling and Nebraska and Minnesota showed teams that MSU's defense is not so dominant. And so, I hate to say it, but unless MSU's coaching staff has something up their sleave, I just can't see the Spartans pulling this one out. Iowa has looked bad on the road, but at home they seem to be a relatively dominant team. So for the first time this season, I'm actually going to predict against MSU.
Final prediction: MSU 17 Iowa 27
All I'm asking for is that the Spartans don't embarrass themselves in Kinnick Stadium. As long as they remain competitive throughout the game, I won't be too disappointed. But if they get blown out, then it shows the Spartans have not progressed all that much since last year. It could show that the Spartans have kind of hit their ceiling under Dantonio. At that point, I guess I may have to go back to thinking that Dantonio really is the Barry Alvarez of MSU.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Quick Thoughts on Minnesota Game
I was forced to watch this game on an extremely choppy video signal, and so, I missed many plays, and so, I will keep my comments short and general. Starting with the most general thing, this game came very close to being the Spartans' worst loss in a long time. Had the Spartans lost this one, that would have been 2 Big Ten losses in a row and it would have virtually destroyed all hope the Spartans had of winning the Legends division. Most importantly, a loss today would have set the program back. That sounds like hyperbole, but think of all the signals it would have sent -- to the football world and especially to recruits. A loss at home today against the weakest team in the league (or second weakest) would have undone any aura of eliteness built up by the Spartans over the last 2 years. Elite teams don't beat good teams and then lose 2 in a row, including one against a weak team, at home.
Obviously, MSU didn't lose, so that checks my frustrations quite a bit. Nevertheless, most of the following observations are critical of the Spartans:
- I felt the Spartans were simply out-coached, again. MSU has more talent and they were playing at home, and yet, for the second week in a row it seemed the opposing team was anticipating everything the Spartans were doing. Minnesota's defense had the Spartan offense figured out, while the Minnesota offense had the Spartan defense confused.
- I guess opposing teams have figured out the Spartan defense. That's two weeks in a row the MSU D looked confused. Gone are the days of a dominant D.
- That's two weeks in a row the Spartans are lacking intensity. In Nebraska they looked shell-shocked. Today they looked like they expected Minnesota to roll over, and when they didn't the Spartans barely stepped it up enough to survive. If they lack intensity against Iowa, next week, "fuggedaboutit." They'll be lucky to keep the whoopin within 2 touchdowns.
- Too many mistakes. Too many penalties, turnovers, Cousins taking sacks when he should get rid of the ball, and guys not knowing where they are supposed to go (how many times can we see a running back run the wrong play? - or is it Cousins?).
- I can't believe how much the running game is struggling. Is it the O-line? Is it the play calling? I need to take a closer look at the video again to get a better sense of what's happening. But the Spartans have to figure it out soon or they will be in trouble the rest of the season, especially because the defense is not what it once was.
- Heroes. Cunningham, Gholston, Robinson.
So this was an ugly win, and even great programs have ugly wins. By itself, it doesn't tell us much about how the Spartans will play next week against Iowa. In fact, one could say that the reason this game was ugly is that they were looking ahead to next week. Combined with the Nebraska game, however, you can see some troubling patterns. Teams have somewhat figured out the Spartan D, and they have completely figured out the Spartan O. The Spartans need to make adjustments, fast.
Obviously, MSU didn't lose, so that checks my frustrations quite a bit. Nevertheless, most of the following observations are critical of the Spartans:
- I felt the Spartans were simply out-coached, again. MSU has more talent and they were playing at home, and yet, for the second week in a row it seemed the opposing team was anticipating everything the Spartans were doing. Minnesota's defense had the Spartan offense figured out, while the Minnesota offense had the Spartan defense confused.
- I guess opposing teams have figured out the Spartan defense. That's two weeks in a row the MSU D looked confused. Gone are the days of a dominant D.
- That's two weeks in a row the Spartans are lacking intensity. In Nebraska they looked shell-shocked. Today they looked like they expected Minnesota to roll over, and when they didn't the Spartans barely stepped it up enough to survive. If they lack intensity against Iowa, next week, "fuggedaboutit." They'll be lucky to keep the whoopin within 2 touchdowns.
- Too many mistakes. Too many penalties, turnovers, Cousins taking sacks when he should get rid of the ball, and guys not knowing where they are supposed to go (how many times can we see a running back run the wrong play? - or is it Cousins?).
- I can't believe how much the running game is struggling. Is it the O-line? Is it the play calling? I need to take a closer look at the video again to get a better sense of what's happening. But the Spartans have to figure it out soon or they will be in trouble the rest of the season, especially because the defense is not what it once was.
- Heroes. Cunningham, Gholston, Robinson.
So this was an ugly win, and even great programs have ugly wins. By itself, it doesn't tell us much about how the Spartans will play next week against Iowa. In fact, one could say that the reason this game was ugly is that they were looking ahead to next week. Combined with the Nebraska game, however, you can see some troubling patterns. Teams have somewhat figured out the Spartan D, and they have completely figured out the Spartan O. The Spartans need to make adjustments, fast.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Preview of Game vs Minnesota
The Spartans face Minnesota this week, and this fills me up with mixed feelings. On the one hand, this is supposed to be an easy win, so that means the Spartans should be able to "bounce back" from last week's debacle. On the other hand, this is supposed to be an easy win, so it's one of the those games that won't make Spartan nation feel very good about ourselves. It's like getting your arse kicked by the strongest kid on the playground and then taking it out on the playground weakling. That ain't right. It ain't right if it happens on playgrounds, and it don't feel right when it happens in football.
Sticking with the playground metaphor, haven't we all been witness to the scene where everyone on the playground crowds around to see the "toughy" beat down the weakling, only to see the weakling fight back and give the toughy a bloody nose that sends him running to the school nurse? I know I've witnessed such outcomes -- at least twice. So, does this part of the metaphor apply to MSU vs Minnesota? Probably not.
Actually, if the game was in Minnesota, I might warn the Spartans that they could end up with a bloody nose. But this game is in East Lansing, and while Minnesota may start the game out playing tougher than expected, I expect this game to be over by the third quarter. Minnesota is simply overmatched in terms of athleticism. So, even if they play well most of the game, even if they scheme well most of the game, the Spartans will score enough points on big plays to win this game. But more than that, I think the Gophers won't catch the Spartans off guard like they did Iowa.
I expect MSU's defense to get very close to pitching a shutout. I expect several sacks and few total yards allowed. I expect MSU to run the ball effectively and I expect the passing game to get back on track. The Spartan receivers should be able to get open this week and Cousins should have a big game. The only way MSU loses this game is if the coaches blow it again. In the end, I just want to get this game over with and move on to Iowa, where a Spartan victory would mean many good things.
Prediction: MSU 31 Minnesota 7
Sticking with the playground metaphor, haven't we all been witness to the scene where everyone on the playground crowds around to see the "toughy" beat down the weakling, only to see the weakling fight back and give the toughy a bloody nose that sends him running to the school nurse? I know I've witnessed such outcomes -- at least twice. So, does this part of the metaphor apply to MSU vs Minnesota? Probably not.
Actually, if the game was in Minnesota, I might warn the Spartans that they could end up with a bloody nose. But this game is in East Lansing, and while Minnesota may start the game out playing tougher than expected, I expect this game to be over by the third quarter. Minnesota is simply overmatched in terms of athleticism. So, even if they play well most of the game, even if they scheme well most of the game, the Spartans will score enough points on big plays to win this game. But more than that, I think the Gophers won't catch the Spartans off guard like they did Iowa.
I expect MSU's defense to get very close to pitching a shutout. I expect several sacks and few total yards allowed. I expect MSU to run the ball effectively and I expect the passing game to get back on track. The Spartan receivers should be able to get open this week and Cousins should have a big game. The only way MSU loses this game is if the coaches blow it again. In the end, I just want to get this game over with and move on to Iowa, where a Spartan victory would mean many good things.
Prediction: MSU 31 Minnesota 7
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Cornerback Becomes Spartans' 15th Commitment
The Spartans have picked up their 15th commitment for the class of 2012 in the form of Ezra Robinson, a cornerback from Sarasota, FL. Most of the recruiting sites consider Robinson a 3-star recruit, but he does have offers from some pretty good schools, including: Clemson, Georgia Tech, South Florida, West Virginia, and Illinois. He appears to be a pretty good size for a cornerback (about 6 feet tall) and he seems to have good speed (4.45 in the 40, according to Scout).
There's not much else written about him and almost no video except this interview where he gets congratulated for having a 31-inch vertical.
There's also this video where he outjumps a receiver for the ball and where the announcer says he is a highly-sought recruit.
So, there's really not much telling what will become of him. It does appear that Dantonio and company like to go after these taller, faster cornerbacks. The other cornerback in the 2012, Jermain Edmondson, has exactly the same proportions (6 feet tall and 170 pounds). In the 2011 class they picked up Trae Wanes (6 feet tall, 170 pounds, and 4.33 in the 40) and Roger Williamson (6'2", 180 pounds). None of these guys have really emerged, yet, so there's not much we can learn from comparing Robinson to any of them. This is one of those recruits that we really don't know too much about and so we'll simply have to wait a while before we get a good sense of what he might contribute.
There's not much else written about him and almost no video except this interview where he gets congratulated for having a 31-inch vertical.
So, there's really not much telling what will become of him. It does appear that Dantonio and company like to go after these taller, faster cornerbacks. The other cornerback in the 2012, Jermain Edmondson, has exactly the same proportions (6 feet tall and 170 pounds). In the 2011 class they picked up Trae Wanes (6 feet tall, 170 pounds, and 4.33 in the 40) and Roger Williamson (6'2", 180 pounds). None of these guys have really emerged, yet, so there's not much we can learn from comparing Robinson to any of them. This is one of those recruits that we really don't know too much about and so we'll simply have to wait a while before we get a good sense of what he might contribute.
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